Cheltenham scorer Galvin faces strong Willie Mullins challenge on Grade 3 return

Wednesday: 4.05 Punchestown
Irish Daily Star - Best For Racing Coverage Chase (Grade 3) | 3m | 5yo+ | RTV

Popular stalwart The Storyteller enhanced Gordon Elliott's excellent record in this race 12 months ago and all eyes this time around will be on Cheltenham Festival winner Galvin.

Bidding to provide the Cullentra trainer with a seventh win in this Grade 3 event – won three times by War Of Attrition and twice by Don Cossack – the National Hunt Novices' Chase scorer faces just four rivals but only two pose serious threats.

Galvin: has a solid record when freshCredit: Alain Barr

It will be interesting to see how the ten-time winner fares as he attempts to give weight away to the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Brahma Bull and Annamix, fresh from finishing second and third respectively in the Kerry National three weeks ago.

Brahma Bull, who holds a mark of 157, is well treated by the conditions of the race as he receives 8lb from the 154-rated Galvin, while Annamix meets his stablemate on 4lb worse terms than when a neck behind that rival at Listowel.

Having won all five of his starts last season, including at Cheltenham when switched to the care of Ian Ferguson, Galvin seems to have been found a nice starting point.

"He's in good shape and his record when fresh is fairly good," said Elliott. "The nice ground will suit and the trip is fine."

He added: "Obviously he has to give weight away to horses who are race fit but we're hoping that he'll run his usual decent race."

Brahma Bull (green cap, far side) and Annamix (grey horse, near side): chased home Assemble in last month's Guinness Kerry NationalCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

There can't be many Graded races in the Irish jumps calendar that Willie Mullins has yet to capture but this is one of them.

"Both horses are coming off great runs at Listowel," the champion trainer said.

"I think the conditions suit Brahma Bull well, while the ground should be fine for both of them."

Dommage Pour Toi and Snugsborough Hall have a fair deal to find on all known form but look set to take home a share of the prize money in one of the two Graded races at Punchestown on Wednesday, the other being the Grade 3 Extra Places Everyday At BetVictor Novice Chase.

Exit Poll edged out Embittered by a neck when the pair met in Grade 3 company at Roscommon last month but a 7lb swing in the weights in favour of the latter makes this an interesting rematch.

Exit Poll: 'The idea is to aim him for the Grand Annual. That will be the long-term plan.'Credit: Patrick McCann

Jessica Harrington, Exit Poll's trainer, is hopeful that the step up in trip from 2m½f to 2m2½f can help her 142-rated contender.

She said: "Embittered probably looks the one but I think our horse will appreciate the extra trip and the more galloping track. It's not an easy race but we're hoping for the best."

Connections of smart Downpatrick scorer Hurricane Georgie would surely love to earn black type here but the four-year-old, carrying a featherweight of 10st 1lb, will have to reverse the Roscommon form with three of her rivals here.

Trainer Gordon Elliott said: "She didn't run a bad race last time after making a mistake at the third last. She probably has it all to do here but that run suggested that getting black type at some stage isn't out of the question."

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